syncretism

Etymology

Comes from Latin syncretismus, which came from Ancient Greek συγκρητισμός (sunkrētismós, "federation of Cretan cities"), from συγκρητίζω (sunkrētízō, "to unite against a common enemy"), from σύν (sún, "together") (see English syn-) plus Κρῆτες (Krêtes, "Cretans"). On the surface it looks like syn- + Crete + -ism ("Crete joining together").